Emmy's thread made me think of a question I could ask this forum.
I live in Brittany in France, originally from the Potteries. I am bringing my children over to the UK for their Feb half term. We are planning on visiting London with my mum for 3 to 4 days to show them some more English history.
If you know the area, and have any suggestions of things that will be good or important to show the little ones (9 and 5), please let me know.
Thanks :)
Churchill war rooms
Clive Steps
King Charles Street, London, SW1A 2AQ
020 7930 6961
these are goods rooms to go to for peace and quiet.
You could try this link
http://www.ukguide.org/london/museum.html
they are all good places to visit. The Museum of London is good for children as it has a varity of things to look at.
The round London bus trips are good as well, if a little expensive but they do give an overview (particularly on the top deck) of London.
However, a few words of warning. Avoid Madam Tussauds as it gets busy especially when the schools are out. Remember that the schools here might be out as well so those favourite places to eat may be packed so look for something different than Macdonalds Pizza Hut etc.
Ah by the way avoid underground and buses from 3.45 to 5.45. everybody but everybody travels during that period and I am sure the young ones will not like it.
Anyway hope you enjoy yourselves remember London is nice but sometimes the people arn't.
Bill
Hi cocopops-didn't have time to post yesterday but wanted to tell you-i found a fab book in a charity shop called Discovering London for Children by Margaret M. Pearson. It was written in 1976 and the inscription inside reads
Discovering London for Children
The giver has put children in inverted commas and written "A name given to little people who retain enquiring minds."
It's a brilliant book with stuff like "you can buy a Red Rover bus ticket from any London transport enquiry office. This will give you a day of unlimited bus travel. The tickets are 70p, for children 30p." I can't go 3 stops on my local bus route for less than £1.60!
Or how about "Admission to the Planetarium costs 50p for adults and 30p for children under 16." It was £21.50 for adults and £20 for children when we went!! I think that got got us into Tussauds also though.
In Kensington Gardens they have the Elfin Oak and the Peter pan garden and statue-our girls liked those-it was summer though! The museums we're visiting also great days out, also the V&A, British Museum both good also.
My girls really loved the Tower, going to see the Crown jewels and standing outside buck House. Apparently that was the best bit last time-seeing the queens house and the guards. ::)
London Zoo is great but pricey also....
Remember that Natural History museum, Science museum and the V and A are all free and pretty much next to each other....
The Trocadero is also good, used to catch a tube to go up there when I didn't feel like going to school... ::)
Covent garden nice too
Last summer, my grand-daughters - then aged 8 & 5 - stayed with us and "did" London. Natural History is a "must" (plus any of the others you think they'd like). We did the London Museum, because the older one had just been doing the Great Fire of London; so then we walked to the Monument and looked for plaques denoting burnt churches & other buildings en route.
If the weather's good, the London Eye. (Useless in the fog!) But save it till last and they'll be able to see landmarks they've seen close to. A river trip to Greenwich is good, but not in February!
Forget places like London Zoo or St Paul's, because they're too expensive. Just getting around and eating will cost enough. A bus ride is good; and the tube. But best of all is walking: the Embankment, the Mall, the Parks. There are plenty of books with London walks.
But don't try to do too much! London can be very tiring! And sort out Oyster cards for the adults. (The children won't need them.) And memorise the Underground map; and use the tfl website: www.tfl.gov.uk
Sounds fun!
here's what's on from the 14th feb, speshly for kids!
http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/search-whatson.aspx
Quote from: Trevor_D on January 08, 2010, 12:58:06
And memorise the Underground map
:o :o :o I have problems remembering my telephone number!!!
Another vote for Oyster cards!
It's a while since I took littlies round London, but they always seemed to love Covent Garden, Leicester Sq, China town etc - and for a cheap eat I always use Gaby's right by Leicester Sq tube - cheap, cheerful and fresh (a novelty in central London). And don't forget Trafalgar Square, walk up the mall and buck house- but walking in London can be Knackering!
I had a nephew and niece over last year and they voted for Covent Garden (especially the moving statues and the entertainers, well some of them!) and Lush, the posh soap shop which smells fabulous. The other thing they loved was St Martins in the fields, by Trafalgar square, go down to the basement and you can do brass rubbing, quiet, peaceful, not too expensive if you choose a little one, a break for the feet and a great memento of their trip. I found paying out all the time for something to eat got expensive, so I made sure we carried water and either had sandwiches or got something from Boots, they have meal deals for office workers but in February you might want something hot. Do use the pedestrian bridge across the Thames, (the one that used to wobble) it gives a fantastic view of St. Pauls and then you can walk over and you are within spitting distance of The Tate Gallery and The Globe Theatre, which my two liked because they had been doing Shakespeare. It won't be showing plays but you can do a tour round looking at how they made it and how the plays work. There is also a Thames side park walk which keeps you out of the traffic. If you know the bus system at all the top of the bus is ideal, we went from St Pauls down to Trafalgar Square, which took in Ludgate Hill, past the Old Bailey, Fleet Street, The Strand and into Trafalgar Square which are not worth walking but are worth saying you've seen. The only expensive thing we did was the Tower of London which took all day and they absolutely loved. The Beefeaters are used to children and delighted to have their photo taken and then you can look at the cannons and walk across Tower Bridge. The other must do is the museums, most are free, find out what the kids are interestedin / doing at school. Mine wanted the British Museum for Celts, Romans and Greeks.
I'd second Tower of London. You can get a water bus which drops you real close, get on at westminster, the boats have guides on really witty and informative. Sunday afternoon great round Covent Garden, nice reastraunt really good value kids will love it the waiters are dressed as monks speciallity is mussels in a bucket. Can't remember name just now but it will come.
One year when both my children were little, I was at a moderation/ marking meeting for GCSE's, OH took the boys to town and they saw the changing of the guards, Tower Bridge opening as Concorde flew past... (The little one missed it as he was asleep in his pushchair)... :)
I used to love the science museum, but my favorite (as a country child) was going to the parks which had massive slides and adventure playgrounds, which I'd never seen before. I think Barham Park was one of them, but Elf'n'Safety might have paid a visit by now..
A trip on the Docklands Light Railway is fantastic and if you sit up the front you will get the best view. It feels odd too as there is no driver!! :o Everything is computerised. There are great views across the surrounding landscapes including the Olympics site, Canary Wharf and the Millennium Dome.
See here: http://www.qype.co.uk/place/77892-Docklands-Light-Railway-London
Covent Garden is worth a trip-lots of buskers etc and all free. There used to be a theatre museum there but sadly I think it's closed now- my daughter had the most brilliant "Cats" make-up done there once.
My children liked the changing the guard at Horse Guards Parade and Buckingham Palace.
There is a band with the latter.
http://www.army.mod.uk/documents/general/january_duties.pdf
St James Park is nice pelicans, ducks, geese, take nuts for the squirrels they are very tame.
Also just riding round on the top of a bus best if you can manage a front seat.
Toilets are a problem with children, most of the big stores have nice ones. So do the museums. Found the concept of going because there was a nice one handy a bit difficult to start with.
The London Transport musuem in Covent Garden is good - takes about 3 hours, there are tube train driving simulators and big electronic board games.
I would recommend the boat trip to Greenwich (there is usually a good commentary) and a walk around Greenwich Park - the foundations of the old palace are in the herbaceous borders, as is Queen Charlotte's bath! From the observatory hill there are great views
My two also enjoyed HMS Belfast. They also enjoyed the Museum of London, Science and NHM although the last two tend to be very busy during school holidays.
Thank you for all the brilliant ideas. My printer is not working so I will write all of this down. I am surprised as to the suggestions as many are places I loved and have forgotten about. The ideas for getting around and using the buses; and the eye last are really good ideas. I am really looking forward to the visit.
I visited Paris in the summer when the children were on holiday with their grandparents and I loved it. I would like to see London the same way, with my children, as I know it has wonderful places to show them.
Quote from: Paulines7 on January 09, 2010, 22:09:45
A trip on the Docklands Light Railway is fantastic and if you sit up the front you will get the best view. It feels odd too as there is no driver!! :o Everything is computerised. There are great views across the surrounding landscapes including the Olympics site, Canary Wharf and the Millennium Dome.
See here: http://www.qype.co.uk/place/77892-Docklands-Light-Railway-London
Just a quickie, the DLR is currently out of action due to engineering works. I think I heard rumbles about it being until sometime in February which means it'll probably be up and running by September :P ;D
Belgo central, the name of the resteraunt in Covent garden.
We took our kids on a 'Frogger' tour (now known as a 'duck' tour), on a WWII amphibious vehicle. We went around on a guided tour on dry land first, all the usual sights, then went straight into the Thames for an aqua tour past Parliament! You can book on line, well worth it for our kids who hadn't done the touristy thing before and absolutely loved it.
http://www.londonducktours.co.uk/
I like the sound of that Deb... :)
oh yes me too! I'm going to have a look now.... ;)
Quote
Just a quickie, the DLR is currently out of action due to engineering works. I think I heard rumbles about it being until sometime in February which means it'll probably be up and running by September
Not the case - I work on it sporadically and can only get access to it between 01.30 and 04.30. I was meant to be on it last night but the snow got in the way. They are upgrading the service but this has little effect on operations - except, of course, on the weekend you want to use it!
Fascinating for the modern buildings, the airport and the old docks.
BTW always check http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ as most travel work is done at weekends.
OC
The Duck Tour is brilliant and well worth the trip especially if you get the right guy giving the commentary.
Hope you have a wonderful time emmy.